Forbidden
by XMidNightOverturEX
Summary: Lan Fan is madly in love and devoted to Ling Yao. But she is willing to sacrifice her own happiness for his goals. Meanwhile a sinister conspiracy threatens the future emperor's life. Will the tribulations break the two apart or strengthen their bonds?
1. Chapter 1: Reflection

Author's note: When I was first introduced to the characters Ling Yao and Lan Fan, I found the concept of the bodyguard falling for her liege incredibly endearing and romantic. Lan Fan is my favorite character in FMA , and after all her devotion and sacrifice deserves a happy ending (not to mention the inadequate amount of fics concerning them…). This is my first fanfic and has been quite a while since I've watched the series, so any helpful advice and tips to improve this story is more than welcome.

Setting: This takes place after the defeat of Father, as Ling Yao, Lan Fan, and Mei Chang start their journey back to Xing.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters and story of Full Metal Alchemist. All are the property of Arikawa.

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><p><em><span>Reflection<span>_

The three compatriots of Xing began their long, arduous trek in the desert. The desert was a monotonous expanse of light brown sand, as far as the eye can see. Sparse vegetation can be seen distributed throughout the arid land, but in most cases the only thing that greeted the three pair of eyes was the beige, hilly waves of the desert. Aside from the dreary landscape, the Sun burned with a hellish fire, the star's rays greedily striking and stinging the exposed, naked skin of the Xingese.

Ling Yao was reminded yet again of the difficulty and severity of his first trip in the desert. While he inwardly complained of the heat, he was interrupted by a loud, gurgling sound originating from his stomach.

The young prince looked toward his bodyguard, and whined, "Lan Faaannn, I'm starving! We've been traveling for hours, do you think we can eat now?"

Lan Fan looked toward her liege; her face mixed with concern and empathy. "Would you like to stop and rest for now, young master?"She nodded her head down in contemplation. "If you'd like I could also hunt and forage for more food if you are not satisfied with what we have".

Ling Yao realized they still had sufficient food and water, and to use it so recklessly would be unwise. The more rational side to him thought it would be wise to eat a light meal when it was nightfall despite his voracious appetite. Not to mention, he deeply respected and cared for Lan Fan, and did not want her to trouble herself for his own selfish fancies.

So with a big grin he jovially said. "Nah, it's alright Lan Fan I can wait till dusk, it might be better to conserve our supplies for our trip. Besides I couldn't bear to see you running about in this terrible weather. I'll live!"

"Young master, I assure you it is-"

"No Lan Fan," Ling Yao said in a tone of finality tampered by compassion. "I think it would be better to reach Xing as quickly as possible. We still have food and water and to get any more would be overindulgence."

"…as you wish, young master."

"Good!" Ling Yao said. His expression relaxed and he placed his hands behind his head. "I'm also worried that little Mei Chang might not be able to handle the heat, if we stay here too long". He directed a teasing smile toward the young girl.

Mei Chang huffed in a puff of annoyance. "I'm a princess of the Chang clan," she said proudly. "There's no way a little sand is gonna get to me".

A small furry mass of black and white appeared behind Mei Chang. Xiao Mei scowled at the squinty eyed boy and nodded in agreement with the little girl.

The retainer of the Yao clan blushed at the fact that her liege was concerned for her well being, and concealed it under her scarf. After the blush resided, Lan Fan allowed herself a small smile as she watched her master teasing Mei Chang while she rose to the bait.

They continued traveling with the aid of their camels. After covering a good amount of land the sun finally went down. Thankful for the respite from the scorching rays, they eventually set up camp.

Their meal was bland and tasteless; comprised of a few strips of dried jerky followed by water, the food and drink did little to appease their hunger. Though brave and determined, Mei Chang was thoroughly exhausted and soon fell sound asleep in the sand. The young girl was splayed across the ground ungracefully, and a sliver of saliva appeared at the corner of her mouth. Xiao Mei's head was placed near the chest of the young girl and was sleeping soundly as well. The camels fell suit as well and slept in the cool, soft sand.

Ling Yao looked at the pair with a bemused expression on his face, and silently stated that he would bring the two into their tent, later on during the night. Ling then turned his head upward and stared at the celestial canvas before him. Countless stars dotted the sky shining with the brilliance of diamonds.

_So beautiful!_

The young prince never had the opportunity to appreciate the simple yet humbling beauty of the night sky.

As he continued to stare upward, Ling Yao reflected on the long and arduous adventure that he had just completed. His journey across Amestris had certainly been one filled with excitement and wonder. His mouth subtly twitched upward as he happily recalled the sense of wonder he felt in being in a country whose traditions and people were so very different from his own. During his sojourn, he met many friends and allies along the way. The most memorable being the Elric brothers. A wave of nostalgia hit Ling as he remembered the rocky relationship he had with Edward; though in time they became comrades and close friends. Ling respected Edward's obstinate nature and strong will; with a knowing certainty, the future emperor of Xing realized his company will be missed once he reached his homeland.

Ling Yao was suddenly acutely aware of the necklace hanging around his neck. He placed the stone on the palm of his hand and intently stared at the object.

The campfire basked the crimson stone in an unearthly glow, hinting at the immense power residing within the miniscule jewel. The abilities of this stone far surpassed the rationale and capabilities of modern alchemy. Its capabilities, endless, possessing even the secrets to immortality. An artifact that was known across the world and regarded by all as a legend, and mere fancy….the Philosopher's stone…and it was in his hands.

While Ling shuddered at the very idea that the stone was a byproduct of thousands of unfortunate souls, he couldn't help but beam with pride and happiness of having acquired it. The Philosopher's Stone was the key to reaching his ultimate goal…to become Emperor of Xing. With the power of his position he can ensure the advancement of his clan. More importantly he can finally take action to protect the livelihood and happiness for the people of Xing.

_But at what cost?_

His happy demeanor suddenly changed to one of sadness as the undesired thought interrupted his reverie. Ling looked at the body laying a few feet away from the fire.

The body of Fu was still wrapped up by thick blankets to protect from the rays of the sun earlier in the day. Despite the distance from Ling, the young prince could still faintly smell the mixture of embalming oils emanating from Fu's body.

Ling's heart weighed down heavily on him. He was acutely reminded of the lives lost and the violence that ensued in pursuit of the Philosopher's stone.

Ling's thoughts turned on Greed, the entity that had once been a part of him. He initially despised the possessive homunculus. He disliked the flippant and rude nature of the being, just everything about him. But perhaps his ire stemmed from the fact that, in a sense, the being represented his darkest thoughts and desires. He also reminded the prince of just how ravenous he was, despite Ling's noble intentions.

What he did not come to expect was that he would eventually call Greed a comrade and true friend. Despite Greed's many flaws, he eventually cared for Ling. In his last act of redemption, Greed sacrificed himself against Father to protect the heir. He was a man that constantly longed and coveted for power and affluence; a man that was never satisfied with what he was given. But ultimately found contentment in protecting a person he considered a friend. Ling will always remember him.

As his mind turned once again toward Fu, Ling's mind was wracked by guilt and regret. Since the day he was born, Fu had watched over the young master. The battle-hardened warrior was a gruff and serious individual who had no tolerance for foolishness. Despite this he was always near the prince. Whether he was raiding the pantry, or teetering dangerously high on a branch of a tree in the family garden, Fu would always be there to make sure no misfortune befell the carefree toddler.

As Ling got older, Fu would supervise his martial arts training. Though charged with the protection of his lord, Fu gave Ling no quarter in training, pushing him to the limits despite the heir's protests. When asked for advice, Fu would offer his own insight to Ling. Though the bodyguard's wisdom was brief and concise, Ling always took his advice to heart, and ultimately shaped his nature and sense of morality.

It pained him to know that he can no longer take comfort in the company and watchful eye of the elder.

_(Flashback)_

_The sound of metal grinding on metal echoed throughout the large building. The cacophony of a fierce battle occurring was deafening. The two combatants whirred around Wrath with a feline speed and grace, attacking at all angles. Greed and Fu attacked him ferociously with the intent to keep the Fuhrer on the defensive._

_Yet Bradley continued defend himself against the elite martial artists with ease. With his Ouroborous eye, he easily calculated the trajectory and speed of each technique thrown at him. Wrath with chilling poise blocked all of the Xingese best attacks, weaving in and out of the moves when needed._

_The Fuhrer eventually gained the upper hand and trapped Ling with one of his combat knives, as he turned his sights on Fu._

_Greed gritted his teeth in frustration. 'Shit..this guy's ridiculously strong. And that damn eye…'_

'_Hey! This isn't the time to think about this, we have to help Fu!' Ling yelled out to the Homunculus._

_Fu was defending himself admirably against the powerful opponent. As he prepared himself to block the next strike, Fu was alarmed as he saw that the Fuhrer put his knife through the ring, at the end of Fu's sword hilt. _

_In one quick movement, the sword was sent flying through the air. Bradley threw the knife at Fu's head, the bodyguard's honed reflexes allowed him to instinctively catch the weapon. _

_However the Fuhrer obtained Fu's sword. After a series of movements, Fu lay on the floor as Bradley raised the sword above his head, ready to deal the killing blow._

'_Gramps is in trouble! You've got to do something!' Ling called out in desperation._

'_It's too late you dumb-'_

_Internally Greed heard Ling cry out in anger and realized that he was quickly losing control of the body._

_In a sudden burst of speed Ling rescued Fu._

'_Dumbass! You could've gotten yourself killed' Greed reprimanded_

_Ling narrowed his eyes exuding a dark vibe and spoke with finality. '__**Shut up'**_

_Fu was bleeding heavily, his head bent down with exhaustion, and said with a hoarse voice, "Young master…you must leave…I'll hold him off as you make your retreat"_

"_What the hell are you talking about, there's no way I'm abandoning you gramps!" Ling said in an indignant tone. The young prince then stared at Wrath with a burning hatred. "A king exists for his people, without them, the king is nothing. Bradley plans on abandoning the people of this country. Are you asking me to be like him. I __**REFUSE**__!"_

_Fu internally beamed with pride as if Ling were his own son at the young man's wisdom and noble nature. He was relieved that despite the homunculus residing within him, the prince was still there. Hearing these words, Fu ultimately knew that he would become emperor. The man needed usher in an era of great peace and much needed change in Xing._

"_A man unworthy of being a king, huh?" questioned Fu. The bodyguard then made to stand up with his own conviction. "Then it is my duty to defeat him.."_

"_No, take it easy gramps! You have to rest!"_

_Fu looked down at his body, and saw the crimson water gushing forth from all his injuries. His life force was slowly eking away from him, and he would die soon._

_With a knowing smile, Fu said, "Yes..I agree. This old body has seen enough bloodshed and violence…I shall rest."_

_The bodyguard struck Ling and the prince fell prone to the floor._

"_Greed, protect the master and harden his body!" Fu said as he made a mad dash against the Fuhrer._

"_**Fu! Where the hell do you think you're going!**__"_

'_I'm sorry master", Fu thought sadly, 'But it looks like my knowledge and skills are no longer needed. You've grown into a fine young man. If I must sacrifice my body and soul to ensure that you will be Emperor, I will gladly pay that price…" _

"_**As your prince I command you to stop!" **__Ling yelled out again in desperation, despite knowing what would happen._

_As Fu ran to Bradley, he fingered the bombs hidden beneath his clothing, preparing for his final moments. He looked back at Ling one last time. 'Young master…I know it is not my place…but I entrust you with the protection of Lan Fan….Please look after my granddaughter, in my absence'. _

"_Fu…please…" whispered Ling. A few tears brimming on the prince's eyelids._

_Within moments, the great and proud warrior knew no more…_

_XX_

_Ling Yao was hanging at the precipice, with Bradley in tow. Just as he was about to fall, an arm of metal came out and grabbed his arm. _

"_Lan Fan!", Ling called out. Influenced by Greed's persona he reprimanded her. "Idiot! Your arm can't handle it! Just let me go and save Fu!"_

_Ling noticed the blood coming from her shoulder. But he did not know the sorrow of the young girl, until he felt the physical touch of her tears. The tears felt warm and soothing in his tanned skin, but at the same time the touch of those liquid drops made tangible the poor girl's anguish and sorrow._

"_It's too late…" Lan Fan said with a pained and hoarse voice. The girl's eyes were leaking profusely with tears. "He has already passed on.."_

_As the young man looked into the girl's beautiful obsidian eyes, he felt stabs of pain in his own heart. He had never seen such pain and anguish in his childhood friend's eyes before._

'_Lan Fan..' _

_(End Flashback)_

The image of Lan Fan's morose expression popped up in Ling's head. Unconsciously he clenched his fists tightly, and gritted his teeth in frustration.

Ling Yao scolded himself for forgetting about Lan Fan. While wallowing in his self-pity, he did not even think to consider what his bodyguard has been going through. Lan Fan's affection and love for her grandfather probably equaled to or exceeded Ling Yao's.

_She's probably still hurting after her grandfather's death considering she hasn't really had a chance to mourn her loss._

Ling also realized at that point the bodyguard had been away from the campfire for several hours.

The future emperor of Xing furrowed his brow in concern, worried for the safety of his vassal. Though his worries were probably unnecessary, since Lan Fan's prowess in battle were exceptional and rivaled even the most skilled martial artists in Xing despite her youth.

Nonetheless, Ling stood up and brushed himself off. He then brought Mei Chang and the diminutive panda into the tent and set off in search of Lan Fan.

To the young prince, Lan Fan was his most loyal bodyguard and oldest friend, still unaware that his feelings for her were much more than that.

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><p>End note: Well hope you liked the first chapter. I kind of rushed on it, and wanted to include Lan Fan's pov in this chapter, but really just wanted to post this up right away (so I apologize if it's a little bit rushed or sloppy). As you probably know I added some quotes from the show but adapted it a bit to fit this story. Please, let me know what you think!<p> 


	2. Chapter 2: Solace in a Friend

Author's note: I didn't expect many reviews while writing this and just wanted to let my imagination run free. So long as there's at least one person reading this, I will continue to write this story. Special thanks to **ABCD12345** and **a writer of fics** for your enthusiasm and comments. I'd also like to give a shout out to **.live**, **Rokiyam**, **web101love** for putting my story under their favorites and alerts. I really appreciate anyone that took the time out of their day to read this and means a lot to me. Well here's the next installment in this story! As always let me know what you think could make this story better and point out at any time of OOCness, as that is a very big peeve of mine!

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><p><em><span>Solace in a Friend<span>_

The steady, plopping sound of boots in the desert sounded quite loud and out of place in the silent night.

The person was clad in clothing that was as dark as the night sky itself. The Cimmerian shade of her traditional warrior garbs helped conceal her from curious eyes, and if a person were to even stand only a few feet from her, he or she would have been none the wiser.

She walked across the desert night with a gait filled with confidence and grace, befitting of an elite warrior of the Fan clan. Her feet moved with a calculated and efficient rhythm and seemed to exude a sense of poise and calmness.

Though her physical actions were filled with a sense of apathy and stoicism, her mind was anything but.

During their trek in the desert, she completely blocked out in her mind the events that had transpired in Amestris. She was a purpose-driven girl and did not like staying idle. But most of all, it protected her from thinking about what she had lost in this journey.

She was successful for only a brief period of time. When they set up camp, her wandering eyes were inadvertently directed upon the prone form of her grandfather.

The strong façade she put quickly dissipated like a fine mist. Lan Fan heard herself take a sharp intake of breath, and quickly directed her gaze away from him, as if by looking away she could completely deny his demise. A huge weight seemed to bear down on the young girl, her legs quivered ever so slightly, and for a moment it seemed like she would fall to her knees.

All the conflicting emotions of sorrow, anguish, and regret hit her suddenly with the blunt and destructive force of a battering ram. Afraid that her young master would see her in this state, the vassal told the young prince that she would patrol the night to observe for possible dangers, which led her to this moment wandering aimlessly around the desert.

Lan Fan's thoughts and emotions now all revolved around her deceased grandfather. All of a sudden she abruptly stopped and simply stood in place.

The Xingese girl thought in reverence and sadness of the memories of the wizened old man.

Before she was born, Lan Fan's father had died in duty during a turbulent rebellion. Her mother had died shortly afterward when she was conceived, leaving Fu to look after the baby girl.

As a child, she remembered how light-hearted and cheerful Fu was. Though he was stern and strict in his tutelage and training of the young girl, outside of that he was a very vibrant and lively individual who loved his son's daughter, with every fiber of his being.

He would regale her with stories of his past battles with a great earnest and sense of pride, and Lan Fan would listen in awe, with her mouth slightly opened in astonishment; that wonderful childlike imagination and wonder of hers running wildly in her head, conjuring up magical images of grand adventure. She imagined Fu to be much like her favorite folk hero, Liángxìng hǔ, the red-faced warrior who slayed 6 malicious generals. During the few moments, where she was allowed to play in the Yao estate, she would whirl around gracefully and practice her skills against imaginary opponents spouting out righteous lines, and the maids would ask who she was supposed to be. Surprised, Lan Fan would say that she was Fu of course, and Fu would look on and shake his head in amusement.

When she asked about her parents, he would feel nostalgic, and fondly talk about them. Fu would always beam with pride when he talked about his son. He would say that his son was an arrogant and brash individual and often disagreed and argued with Fu. Despite this Fu fervently said that his son had a courage only described in stories of old, and was fiercely protective of his comrades and even more so of the woman that would be his wife.

Fu described Lan's mother as a sincere, guileless woman. Shy, and polite, she was so very different from the father. Her most notable feature, Fu recalled, was her honest face. If a person were to gaze upon her face, the person would be able to see through her, like a window allowing one to view a person's most intimate feelings and emotions. Fu would comment that in this regard, Lan Fan was like her mother, much to Lan Fan's chagrin.

During the Xingese new year, Fu would take his granddaughter out to the rooftops to gaze at the fireworks and observe the grand parade occurring just beneath them. He even spoiled her with some of her favorite foods and dolls. Back then all these actions endowed the old man with a sense of youth and vigor.

However when Lan Fan came to age, she quickly noticed the drastic change in Fu's behavior. He seemed more cold and distant from her. Fu rarely spoke to her, and when he did speak, it was to either scold her or continue his teachings of the importance of honor and duty to the Yao family.

Despite his cold nature, Lan Fan knew that his love for her was still there. When Fu thought the small girl was sleeping, he would pull the blanket closer to her head to protect her from the frigid night wind, and he would just stare at her with an expression that was mixed with a sense of wistfulness and contentment. Whenever the little girl would accomplish an impressive feat, such as hitting the bulls-eye of a target several yards away, or besting full-grown men in a bout, Fu would always turn his head away from her and mutter a nonchalant praise followed by a statement of what she could've done better. The young girl was perceptive, however, and knew every time he turned his head, Fu was secretly smiling, full of pride for his granddaughter.

Lan Fan inwardly thought that Fu would reprimand her for the reckless and reminiscent behavior, she was exhibiting now.

_But he's not here anymore…he's dead._

The girl clenched her two hands tightly, and her arms shook with a quiet anger. The left hand creaked and groaned silently, a constant reminder that she was not whole. She was angry at the one responsible for the murder of her loved one. But most of all, she was angry at herself for her own incompetence and shortcomings.

Her whole body soon began to shake with anger and self-loathing. In Xing, she was viewed as a commoner, and even with her family's reputation in battle, was regarded as nothing more than a glorified servant by many. As a result of being looked down upon all her life, her goal in life was modest, but more virtuous and admirable than the lofty and often avaricious aspirations of the many Xing nobles. Lan Fan desired to have the ability to protect the ones close to her heart from a very young age. To reach these ends, she was studious and devoted her life in martial arts to be strong.

"But I've failed…I couldn't protect them. In the end, for all of my training I was useless," the troubled girl murmured to herself; a single tear steadily flowing down her cheek. The image of Fu's serious visage appeared in Lan Fan's mind once again and she could no longer control her emotions. Thin, translucent tears streamed down Lan Fan's face, she gasped painfully finding it hard to breath, and sobbed quietly in the night. Lan sank to the ground in despair, wanting nothing more than to just lay there and forget this pain. She did not know how long she had cried for, and she did not care.

Fu had been the only family she had ever known. He was the immovable object she came to for shelter from the chaotic storm that was her emotions. The only person that believed she was precious and important in a society where status and caste was everything.

Without him in her life, she did not know what to do.

_I'm all alone…_

"Lan Fan?"

Lan Fan perked her head up, when she heard the familiar voice. A part of her was happy that he was looking for her, the more dominant half of her, however, wanted to flee, embarrassed to let the young master see her look so vulnerable.

"Lan Fan, are you alright?" Ling Yao asked, a concerned expression on his face.

The bodyguard reluctantly turned her gaze towards Ling, hopeful that the dark would help conceal her tear stricken face. Lan slowly got up, with some difficulty due to sitting for so long.

"I'm fine". Her voice was hoarse and strained from sobbing for so long. "I merely fell", she added weakly. Being as subtle as she could, she discreetly wiped the moist tears in her face and gave a small smile to Ling.

"My lord, I appreciate your concern, but you shouldn't worry about me. You are going to be Emperor, and I am merely just your servant".

Ling features contorted into a sad frown.

"Don't be silly. Of course I'm worried about you, you're my oldest friend".

Lan Fan merely bowed her head down in silence. For a moment no one spoke.

"It's about your grandfather…isn't it", Ling said hesitantly, uncertain if he was being too intrusive.

The bodyguard chose to remain silent, but nodded her head from the question.

"Lan Fan…would you like to talk about it?"

When she continued to remain quiet in his presence, Ling breathed out a sad sigh and turned away from her.

"If you wish to be alone, I will respect that. Everyone has a right to their privacy", Ling said. He glanced to his side to look at his vassal. "I just want you to know, that I'm sad that he's gone too, and while I can't imagine what you must be feeling right now…I understand. I'm sorry for my intrusion".

He only took a few steps, before he heard her strained voice.

"I should've been stronger".

Ling Yao turn around and looked at her, confused.

"If I had been stronger", Lan Fan said in a low whisper. "Then you wouldn't have had to rescue me. It is my duty to protect you, and yet you had to risk your life for me instead. If I was strong, then I would have been able to save my grandfather, and none of this would have ever happened. I am a hindrance, a disgrace to my clan, to you, and… him".

"Don't be ridiculous, this wasn't your fault!" Ling Yao yelled out, taking a few steps toward her. He felt his heart sink to realize that his friend had placed all the blame upon herself. "You couldn't have predicted what would have happened! No matter how strong you were, the outcome wouldn't have been any different. You're not a hindrance, Lan Fan, you're the most loyal and trustworthy person I know. I've always relied on you and you've never failed me."

Ling Yao looked at the young guard's prosthetic arm. His expression changed to guilt and sadness, and could no longer look at the eyes of his vassal.

"I'm the one that failed you. If there's anyone to blame…it's me. I'm responsible for your grandfather's death". Ling shut his eyes tightly, and clenched his hands close to his body.

Lan Fan's eyes widened in shock.

"I was selfish and greedy. I put my ambition to seek immortality and to become emperor, above all else", the young prince said in self-loathing. "I've always believed a king must always put the needs of his people above his own. And yet I couldn't even follow through that belief. My personal desires killed Fu, Lan Fan. Maybe I'm the same as Bradley…unworthy of being king".

"PLEASE STOP!"

Ling Yao looked up in amazement, startled from the normally reserved bodyguard's outburst.

"Don't you dare say that!" Lan Fan yelled out. She looked directly in the eyes of the young prince, her stare a mixture of anguish and anger. "Just as I follow you, my grandfather served you believing you will be a just ruler. You say your dream was to become emperor, and it was his dream to help you achieve it. He died proudly and happily in service to you".

She narrowed her eyes at the prince. "If you cast yourself in reproach, not only are you unworthy to the throne, but you will forever taint the sacrifice and memory of my grandfather". Her right hand was raised toward her chest, hands lightly gripping the black fabric near her heart.

"And if you did that I would never forgive you!", she said in a hoarse whisper.

As if just realizing, she had just admonished her master, she gasped out in surprise, and quickly clasped her mouth with her right hand. Cheeks reddened to a great degree.

Ling Yao continued to look at the girl with a dumbfounded expression on his face. Never in all his years had he ever head her yell at him, even as little kids, when the formality of master and servant had not formed yet.

"Y-young master, I-I'm so sorry, I've spoken out of turn, forgive me for my impudence!" she stuttered, and spoke in fast manner. Lan Fan bowed down her cheeks still flushed.

"No you're right", he said in a quiet voice, as he gazed down at the ground for a moment. As he looked up, his eyes were back to their normal slits, and he had a sad smile upon his face.

"Gee, here I was trying to make you feel better, and you're the one that set me straight instead". Ling Yao chortled quietly. The young prince said in a teasing tone. "I didn't know you were such a persuasive speaker. Maybe you should be Emperor instead of me!"

Seeing that her lord was not upset, she relaxed. Slightly embarrassed by the comment, she turned her head slightly to the side.

"Don't joke about such things, young master", she softly rebuked.

The prince frowned, aware that Lan Fan still holds herself responsible for Fu's death, due to his shrewd nature and being able to sense a disruption in the teenage girl's Qi.

Ling opened his eyes and stared seriously at his loyal friend. "But if I'm not to blame, then you shouldn't hold yourself responsible. As you said, he died an honorable death and wouldn't have it any other way". The boy walked toward his servant and clasped his hands firmly on her shoulders. "Do you think the old man would want to see you like this. Your grandfather would want you to live on and follow his example and courage. He's always been proud of you. You should know that, Lan Fan".

The words struck a chord with the bodyguard. She stared, doe-eyed, into the serious eyes of her lord, touched by his compassion. What he said made sense, and she felt ashamed of herself. She slowly looked down, unable to stare into his eyes any longer.

The prince felt the girl's body slightly shaking under his grasp, and realized that she was trying to hold back her tears, attempting to force down and hide her emotions. Her pride trying to block out what she perceived as a weakness.

"You're the strongest girl I know, Lan Fan", Ling said quietly. "But even you need to cry, you're still human. It's all right…let it out".

The girl's breath hitched in her throat, and she couldn't control herself any longer. She let out a soft, whimpering cry and once again sobbed, but with more intensity, as she no longer restrained herself. Her eyes were shut tightly, but the tears leaked out in steady streams, dripping down on the cool sand.

Seeing Lan Fan like this broke the heart of the young man. But he needed to be strong for her, and instinctively wrapped his arms around her, holding the girl in a tight embrace.

"Ssshhh", he said in a calm, empathic tone. "It's alright…I'm here for you".

"I miss him so much…", she said solemnly.

"I know…."

And so, uninhibited she let out her sorrow and grief upon the world. At this moment, Lan Fan no longer cared for formality, tradition or duty, and mourned the death of her esteemed teacher and grandfather.

After the tears had passed, the two stood like that for a time, Ling holding onto Lan Fan tightly, as if afraid that if he let go, she might succumb to her grief again. And so they stayed in that intimate position entwined together. The pale moonlight casting its glow on the two figures.

She still felt a great deal of sadness, but at the same felt a great weight lifted off her shoulders. The accusing thoughts that had caused her inner turmoil ceased to be, and in its place, she felt a sense of peace.

The girl's peace and contentment also stemmed from the fact that she was in the embrace of a certain someone. The arms held around her waist felt soothing and pleasant. Realizing that she had clung on Ling's back tightly with her head gently resting on his chest, she turned the deepest shade of red, humanly possible.

As the blush subsided, she chanced a look at Ling's face. His features were firm but at the same time so soft and understanding, patiently waiting for her to collect herself. The loyal soldier was thoroughly moved by how much he really cared for her, even though she believed herself to be unworthy of his time.

In such a vulnerable state, Lan Fan found the lips of the young prince to be so very inviting, and she wondered for a brief moment, just what it would be like to kiss him for the very first time. The first and only man she ever had eyes for.

For a moment she entertained the idea that he might harbor the same feelings for her, like the time he rescued her from Wrath. However the more rational side of her concluded, it was probably his sense of duty to his people rather than his affection that influenced his actions.

Just as quickly as the thought arose, it vanished just as fast. Bound by her strong sense of duty and constant concern of her charge, she realized just how inappropriate the action would be and resisted the temptation.

"Young master, this is not how a prince should act. If we were in Xing-"

"We're not in Xing", the tall youth said softly with a touch of amusement. The Yao heir looked down at the pale complexion of his subordinate. "You and Fu have sacrificed so much for me. I don't know if I can ever repay you, but on my word as future emperor of Xing, I promise to always watch over you, just as you have always watched over me".

'_Ling..', _the girl internally said to herself, much too formal and shy to ever call him by his first name.

In the distance, a diminutive person stared at the pair, musing about a special someone she had left behind in Amestris.

* * *

><p>Lan Fan was quite surprised the progress they had made across the vast landscape. The trio, plus the tiny panda, had traveled several miles relentlessly, only resting for a few hours. They were resourceful with their supplies and still had plenty of rations of food and water from Amestris. Though the prince's notorious hunger would get the better of him sometimes, and the boy would sometimes pass out on the floor on random instances. Lan Fan predicted if they continued this rigorous pace, they would reach their homeland within three days.<p>

Despite having a prudent and reserved nature, she had some lighthearted moments with her master. She even enjoyed the company of Mei Chang, a former rival to her master's throne, and a person she initially disliked and held hostile feelings for. Their relationship was friendlier now, but now and then they would bicker. Sometimes their arguments quickly escalated into something more hostile, with the two females facing each other, drawing knives menacingly, and a fearful Ling Yao trying to calm them down.

As usual, Lan Fan was ahead of the group, scouting the area for any supplies and lurking dangers.

Ling and Mei rode side by side in awkward silence. Considering they were former rivals to the throne, and barely knew each other, neither knew what to say to each other.

So the two nobles took comfort in contemplating their own thoughts and feelings, rather than talking with each other.

The prince chanced a look at Mei, and observed that she looked particularly pensive and timid. With a mischievous smile, Ling saw a wonderful opportunity to tease the little princess.

"Thinking about a certain someone princess!" Ling said in a sing-song voice.

Mei Chang broke out of her daze, a little embarrassed of being caught unaware. "H-huh! N-no, I was just thinking about…how hot it is. Xiao-mei isn't used to this kind of weather".

Ling, was grinning ear-to-ear now, after hearing the quick denial of the little girl. Knowing how to push her buttons, he pressed on.

"Really? Guess I was wrong. You did meet the Elric brothers though, right? I forgot the younger one's name. I know it started with an A. I think it was Alfie? No, no it was Albert, or Alex, or Adrian or-"

"His name is Alphonse-sama you idiot!" she yelled out angrily. She gasped in surprise as she realized her error in judgement.

The manipulative prince felt giddy with excitement after successfully trapping the little girl.

"Wow! Alphonse-sama eh? You think of him pretty highly or is it just that-"

"Be quiet!"

In comical fashion, Mei jumped from her camel and delivered a jump kick on the face of Ling.

"Oof!"

The goofy young man fell face first in the sand, and lay there. He then turned to his side, with a big, silly grin and started chuckling good-naturedly.

"Sorry, I was just kidding. Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. I may play the fool, but I'm actually quite astute, nothing gets past me!"

By then, the girl had composed herself and remembered that one particular night. She looked at the backside of the moving bodyguard, who seemed to decide to ignore the antics between the two. With a smug and knowing look, she turned back to Ling.

"I wouldn't boast so soon…fool". She then gracefully jumped up her camel, and rode off to catch up to Lan Fan.

Ling looked at the feisty ball of energy's retreating back, a bewildered expression on his face.

* * *

><p>The group set up camp for the night. Since they had traveled long distances with long reprieve, Ling, Mei, and Xiao-mei fell asleep, exhausted from the hard journey.<p>

Lan Fan was awake, tending to the fire, since the desert was colder than usual, this particular evening, in order to keep the two people warm.

She soon heard a loud snoring noise and directed her gaze at the disturbance. She found the source to be none other than Ling. He was lying on his back, with his arms and legs splayed out wide, as if making a snow angel, mouth gaping open with a little drool coming out at the corner of his mouth.

Lan Fan allowed herself a soft smile at the humorous sight. The expression then turned pensive and solemn.

'_Everything will be different, once we reach Xing',_ she thought to herself.

She had often mused at the possibility of working up the courage to confess her true feelings to her liege. But with the Philosopher's Stone in his possession, Ling was guaranteed to succeed his father in the throne. Once he became emperor, the chances of her and him ever becoming something more were impossible.

While saddened at the thought, she was happy for the valiant prince. He had always dreamed one day of becoming the ruler of the eastern country, so that he could do what he can to bring prosperity and happiness to his people. The altruistic nature of the prince was one of the many reasons why the bodyguard adored him so much.

_If I must give up my own happiness so that he can achieve his dream, then I will do so.._

But the bodyguard remembered the night when her liege came to comfort her, and her resolve wavered.

She stared at the prince's visage, torn between her duty and her most intimate desires.

* * *

><p>"Wow..I can't believe it…we're finally here!" Mei Chang exclaimed jubilantly.<p>

Ling Yao, Lan Fan, and Mei Chang stood at a high precipice overlooking the great city. The familiar looming shapes of temples, towers, and pagodas littered the area. Several lanterns adorned the numerous buildings, casting the city in a beautiful and heavenly glow. The city was truly a remarkable sight, and on the far end lay the emperor's palace.

Ling placed the wrapped broadsword around his shoulders, a triumphant smile across his face.

"We're back".

* * *

><p>End note: Well hope you enjoyed that one. I couldn't get a proper flow on this chapter, and often found myself staring at the monitor in frustration! I know these recent chapters have been rather angsty, but I promise that the later chapters will be a bit more light-hearted and funny. However I do plan to cover Fu's funeral, since I wanted to give him a proper send-off (he was such a great character). There will also be a good amount of action as well. This took me quite a while to write though since I was never satisfied with my wording, and i'm still not : 

Unfortunately, I probably won't be able to update very frequently due to school and the fact that I'm researching a bit on feudal Chinese culture in order to give a somewhat acute portrayal of Xing. Not to mention I'm still trying to fine-tune the main plot of the story.

I'll also add some songs that helped motivate me to complete this chapter. So give it a quick listen if you'd like. : )

-Aloe Blacc-Blue Sky

-The 49ers-More than Friends

-1773-Broken Star

-weathertunes-coincidence


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: I know it's been a while and I apologize. All I can says is that life got in the way, and I had to push this fic back on my list of priorities. To make it up to you I've posted 2 chapters. Hope you like it!

* * *

><p><em>Home and Memories of the Distant Past<em>

Before leaving Amestris, Ling had sent a message back to his clan detailing the events that had transpired on the Promised Day, and the tragic death of Fu. The young prince had gone through great lengths to make sure that his quest for immortality remained a secret and bringing a fallen comrade through the borders of Xing would arouse suspicion and investigation. Therefore Ling had set up a designated location to meet with a servant he knew could be discreet.

Once the group reached the city, they met with the contact at a desolate alleyway. The man waited with a small supply wagon at hand. After a dutiful bow to the prince and respectful nod to Lan Fan, the servant quickly left for the estate with Fu concealed among the various items.

Ling was frustrated that he could not publicly honor the sacrifice of Fu at the moment, due to the ongoing feud for the throne. Despite this, he reluctantly agreed that this was the best course of action and if Fu was somehow watching from a cloud up high, the elder would have acknowledged the prince's decision. Shortly after the man left, Ling and his companions walked toward their next destination.

May Chang followed close behind the two older kids unsure of where they were heading. Naturally the young girl assumed they would head straight to the palace to present the Philosopher's stone to the emperor. However the route the two teenagers were taking seemed to deviate away from the Imperial district.

Instead of seeing the grand towers, and ornate buildings carved from pure white marble and jade, that distinguished the Imperial District from the other main districts, she saw bland but sturdy housing complexes of wood and common metal. It was then she discerned that they were in the market district.

The market district was a bustling and lively area, whose inhabitants comprised of merchants and tradesmen, but on occasion nobles would visit due to the various wares and merchandise available. It was prominently known to hold items of various sorts, ranging from Drachman floor rugs to Cretan pottery and even the history of such countries. Out of all the areas of Xing, it was certainly the most culturally diverse, introducing the Xingese to foreign exports. It was easily the most densely populated region of the city, and so afforded little to no peaceful nights in the area.

It was just how she remembered it, before May Chang traveled to Amestris. People would brusquely bump shoulders with each other since the streets were too narrow to accommodate the mob of consumers. Vendors and merchants would constantly shout out and show off their products and produce to any customer within the vicinity which often earned them the ire and contempt of many passerby's. Long lines and crowds formed around booths that served simple but delectable foods such as dumplings and a local Xingese favorite, chickenfeet.

Despite how cluttered and disorganized it seemed, the girl had to admit it was lively and had its own charms, even if she preferred the ornate and intricately carved buildings of the Imperiald district.

The girl tried to discern the logic of the prince's seemingly random route but to no avail.

Ling seemed like he was just enjoying a mid-morning stroll among the denizens. Lan Fan on the other hand, dutifully stayed by his side, occasionally throwing nonchalant glances every now and then, her auto-mail arm surreptitiously hidden underneath a long white cloak. But May suspected that the bodyguard was remaining vigilant and was most likely scouting for possible threats to the prince's life.

After an hour of walking in the market district, May Chang finally lost her patience.

"I don't understand!" May said in an exasperated and hushed tone. "Why are you walking around so casually? Wouldn't you want to have audience with the Emperor right away, after the lengths you've gone through to get the Philosopher's stone?"

Ling turned his head to the direction of the petite girl with a questioning glance. "Isn't your home along this way?" He gestured with his thumb indicating the route to the Chang estate.

For a moment, May was stunned by Ling's question. After the harrowing and incredible set of events that occurred in Amestris, from meeting Scar to acquiring the legendary stone, she momentarily forgot about her own home and family.

"Oh… I'll be alright on my own.." her tone a mixture of embarrassment and guilt.

"It's okay. Lan Fan and I don't mind escorting you. After all what kind of man would I be to leave a little girl all on her own no matter how capable she is", he said with a smile on his face. He then proceeded to put his two fingers toward his mouth as a gesture of silence. "Also I wouldn't go around mentioning the Emperor so casually, let's just keep that between us."

A small blush appeared on the girl's face realizing that she had been a little reckless. "I'm sorry…and thank you."

May Chang was surprised by the young man's sincerity and compassion. During the trek in the desert, her opinion of him had been low and wondered why Lan Fan was so fond of him. At the moment a small amount of respect and admiration began to form for the young prince.

"No need to thank me. Think of it as a friendly gesture from me in hopes of future cooperation and support from the Chang clan", Ling said in a light-hearted manner.

The young girl couldn't help but smile from Ling's charming and compassionate disposition.

_Perhaps he isn't the goofy simpleton I make him out to be after all…_

Suddenly a loud, rumbling sound erupted from Ling's stomach and droned out for several minutes. The prince scratched his head in embarrassment, and with a nervous laugh said, "Besides I'm starving, I know a good place to get some food."

'_Or maybe not…'_, May Chang thought in disappointment.

For several minutes, nothing could be heard but the constant pattering and clunking of chopsticks on plates and bowls.

May Chang was hungry at the time, and ate a generous amount. However the manner at which Ling Yao ate was excessive and downright gluttonous. A multitude of empty plates and bowls were stacked into tall towers that teetered dangerously along the table. Despite the quantity of food already finished the young prince was going strong.

To May's surprise, Lan Fan was no slouch when it came to downing large amounts of food. While she certainly could not match outstanding pace set forth from her liege, Lan Fan had already finished four servings, and also ate in a fast manner.

Xiao Mei palate was satisfied quickly and lay on the table, the little panda's belly comically distended, with a content expression on its face.

As everyone was busy attending to their food, the young girl spent the time contemplating on what the country's future would be like if Ling would become Emperor.

"Hey May what's wrong, you're done eating already?" Ling questioned in a muffled tone, due to the duck leg jutting out of his mouth.

"Nothing, I was just thinking", May replied in a serious manner, and looked imploringly into Ling's eyes. "You have a tremendous opportunity right now. I understand that you want to bring me home, and I appreciate that, but wouldn't you be more eager to present your gift. Things might get complicated if you wait too long."

While he appreciated the princess's discretion, there could be unwanted eavesdroppers listening in. Ling opened his eyes from their normally narrowed slits and examined the shabby restaurant quickly.

The establishment was small, but a lively place, and the loud cheering and merriment in the area would make listening to the group's conversation nigh impossible. Regardless he examined each and every person to determine any suspicious figures. It appeared everyone was too engaged in their own conversations and drinks to notice what the group would be saying.

When he was done, Ling looked at Lan Fan.

The bodyguard nodded, and it was enough to calm the prince's vigilance and wariness.

Ling clasped his hands together on the table and said, "Actually that's exactly why I don't intend to go to the Imperial Palace any time soon."

May looked at him, confusion written on her face.

"While the Promised Day has only happened recently, it was truly a terrible event in Amestris", Ling said quietly, looking down solemnly as if remembering what happened. "I have no doubt that the more powerful noble families has already caught wind of what had happened and might even suspect that I have left Xing and obtained the Philosopher's stone."

"There are most likely a large group of spies concentrated within the Imperial District", Lan Fan continued, gazing every now and then at the crowd of people. "They are probably combing the streets of the area as we speak, hoping to find anyone of import or suspicion. It would be impossible to get to the palace undetected."

Ling calmly took a sip of tea before replying to Lan's statement. "And it's because of that it would be too dangerous to go see the Emperor right away. The other families wouldn't hesitate to kill me even in broad daylight if it meant getting the stone."

"For now it would be best to lay low for a bit, until the nobles' start spreading and thinning out their men through the whole city", Ling stated in a matter-of-fact manner. "I've waited patiently this long for this opportunity to arrive. It would be foolish of me to squander it because of being too eager."

May nodded her head, impressed with Ling's reasoning. "I see…"

There was still one question brewing in her mind, and looked to Ling. "When the time comes, I'll follow you loyally and I'm sure I can convince my family to do the same. After all you plan to spare my family and so I'm grateful."

"But I must know…what do you intend to do once you become emperor?", May asked.

For a moment, Ling paused in silence, contemplating on the best way to express his reason for being Emperor.

"First I want to end the blood feud between the fifty families. There's been too much bloodshed and violence shed between us already", the prince stated in a matter-of-fact manner.

"A ruler's role is to serve the interests of his people, he is a public servant. A role that many leaders tend to forget", Ling said as he crossed his hand together. "Those well off should help the downtrodden and those less fortunate. It is a noble's duty after all to help the people. When I lead this nation I intend to protect the livelihood and integrity of the people of Xing. I don't care about status or class, people will have the chance to move ahead not based on money but on merit and character. That is my goal…"

Once again May was stunned by Ling's profound words. Though she was a noble, she related more to the common people of Xing, since her family was not very well off and at times had struggled financially.

She too did not like certain customs and traditions of the country and empathized with the prince's ideals. May also discerned that the young prince was not lying or trying to manipulate her. The tone of his voice displayed how passionate he was on his belief, and his face was sincere and honest.

_This person can really make a difference. This is the kind of man needed to lead this nation…_

"Then I can say that I'll gladly follow you…your highness", May said, with a genuine smile.

Ling grinned back widely, and was happy that May was finally taking a liking to him, however small.

Lan Fan noticed the mood between the two people shifted, and was also content to see the sense of camaraderie slowly begin to form between two former enemies.

"HEY I RECOGNIZE YOU!", bellowed a deep voice.

Upon hearing the voice Lan Fan fingered her knives, ready to strike. She internally cursed to herself, thinking that she should've been more vigilant now their cover was blown.

However her vigilance was for naught. As she glanced at the direction the voice came from, Lan Fan realized that the man was clearly not a soldier or spy of any sort.

The man was a big figure, with a rotund belly. He was bald but possessed a thick, healthy beard and was dressed in the garbs of a cook. And he was angry, very angry indeed…

A shiver creeped up Lan Fan's spine and slowly began to recognize this place.

'_Don't tell me this is the same restaurant that we-'_

With loud, thudding footsteps he made his way menacingly to the group, specifically toward Ling. "You shifty-eyed bastard! You ate all the food that I worked so hard to prepare and ran away without paying your tab months ago, and now you have the audacity to show up here again!?"

'_Yep this is definitely the place'_, Lan Fan thought. Before making their trek to Amestris, they had eaten at this very same establishment and disappeared quietly without paying their bill…

The cook grabbed Ling by his collar and lifted him clear off the ground, and stared menacingly at the young prince.

"Gee, you still remember that? That was quite a way's back", exclaimed Ling. "You really have good memory, I'm impressed!"

The two girls hung their heads low in shock and embarrassment from Ling so casually confessing to the deed. Any sane person would deny the accusation, yet the eccentric teenager easily admitted to the crime.

The cook was not amused and emitted a low growl.

Ling raised his hands up in a placating gesture and said, "Now, now I'm sure there's a way we can end this peacefully."

"You can start by paying off your old tab", the cook gruffly said. "You ordered two roast ducks, six bowls of fried rice, 3 bowls of beef noodle soup, a platter of dan tofu, Sichuan hotpot, sixty pieces of siomai, and eighty dumplings. That comes down to 1500 yuan, and with the food you just ordered…"

While still holding the prince in one hand, he used his other to stroke his beard and mentally calculated the amount owed.

"That's a total of 3250 yuan and 50 Jiao."

There was a moment of awkward silence, after the group heard the total price of the food, and a hefty amount it was. May Chang's mouth slightly twitching in shock, after hearing how much food they ordered the last they visited the establishment.

Providing his largest and most charming smile, Ling said, "Well…you see I don't have that kind of money. But what we can give you is the eternal gratitude of a few humble kids for your incredible generosity. Isn't that so much better?"

The imposing man did not reply but rather gave the prince a deadly stare that belied the anger that was rising rapidly. A vein could be seen pulsating from the man's forehead. Despite this Ling still held the dopey grin in place, as if oblivious of the man's irritation and anger.

"YOU PENNILESS LITTLE BRAT!", the man yelled. He quickly grabbed the young man's hand, and with his other raised his cleaver above his head. "If you can't pay then you must be punished!"

The man brought the cleaver down with a speed that contrasted greatly from his size, and the _SHHKKK _noise could be heard echoing loudly, as the blade embedded itself into the wooden table.

To his surprise, the cook did not see a severed hand or the color of red stain his blade, and seeping into the wood. In his grasp was simply the cut fabric of the prince's jacket sleeve.

"Huh!?", he uttered. He looked to his left and right several times in a comical way. Finally his gaze met the object of his disdain and fury. He only caught a glimpse of the female teenager and young girl as they scampered away from the establishment. The squinty eyed lad was waving at the cook with the hand that was supposed to be severed, a sheepish expression on his face.

"Sorry for the trouble mister! Well, see ya!", he exclaimed in a sing-song voice, and proceeded to run away.

The large man raised his arm, fist clenched tightly. His body shook uncontrollably from the rage and humiliation growing from the pit of his stomach, and his forehead pulsated strongly from the veins that were popping out.

Unable to control himself, the cook let out a guttural roar. "YOU THIEVING BASTARD! I'LL MAKE YOU PAY YOUR DEBT, IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO! I SWEAR ON MY ANCESTORS' HONOR!"

* * *

><p>After the bizarre events that transpired at the restaurant, the trio managed to have an uneventful walk to May Chang's home. They did not have much time to chat, as the Chang estate was relatively close when Ling decided to stop by the restaurant.<p>

When they arrived there, May gave a dutiful bow, and the small panda on the girl's shoulder mirrored her movements. "Thank you. I'll be sure to tell my family of your grace and compassion. You can be certain, that the Chang family will follow and support your cause."

Ling gave a respectful bow and replied, "I appreciate that. I understand that the Chang family have been struggling for some time now. Once I become emperor, I'll handsomely reward your family".

The princess gave a small smile then directed an inquisitive glance at Lan Fan. "May I speak with your bodyguard, privately for a moment?"

Ling and Lan Fan both looked at each other quizzically. It was odd, since the two rarely spoke to each other during the desert, and weren't all that close.

"Sure", Ling replied. He directed a light smile to Lan Fan and nodded to let her know it was alright.

The female warrior cautiously walked toward May, less from any inherent danger that she presented, but rather in trepidation of what she was going to say.

May did not say anything right away, but looked up at her in a curious, odd fashion. Lan Fan felt uncomfortable by the girl's gaze. Though the stare was not spiteful, it was unreadable and enigmatic. To her, this was more disturbing as she could not gauge the motivations beneath her dark brown eyes.

"You love him", she quietly murmured to Lan Fan.

Lan Fan was taken aback by the bluntness of the statement. She immediately began to blush a deep red, and brought her garb up to try to conceal her embarrassment.

"Wh-w-what?! N-n-nno aa-a-bsolutely not! That's ridiculous!", she said in a panicked fashion. "And incredibly inappropriate!"

Ling gave a curious glance at Lan Fan, wondering what had put her in such a flabbergasted state.

May smiled at her, amused by her reply. "You don't have to deny it, I can tell. I'm a girl too after all", she whispered, careful of the prying ears of the young prince. "I just want you to know that despite our differences, I understand how you feel. I'm actually in the same position as you."

Her eyes glanced away briefly, a doleful expression on her face. "Well I just wanted to wish you luck. Every girl deserves her prince Charming."

After she felt she let off what she needed to say, May Chang abruptly walked to the Chang estate, leaving Lan Fan surprised and confused.

The bodyguard looked at the girl's retreating back, surprised by May's support. She appreciated May's words but Lan Fan knew he could never return her feelings. Lan Fan also refused to burden the prince with her own confession of love.

_It is enough to be his sword._

* * *

><p>Ai, the elderly caretaker of the Yao estate was sweeping the floors of the property, trying to focus on her task to suppress her feelings of melancholy.<p>

Just a few hours ago, she had seen the lifeless body of her oldest and closest friend Fu. It nearly broke her heart, seeing the proud old man with an energy rare for someone his age look so frail and vulnerable.

For a brief moment she fondly reminisced of the times spent with him.

_He was an excellent tea companion. He always obliged and came by for my tea ceremonies. Fu was such a flatterer, even when the preparation wasn't quite right._

She smiled at the thought. Fu had a long and fulfilling life, and was at least thankful that Master Ling and Fu's granddaughter was alright.

She shook herself from the reverie when she heard a knock of the outer doors. Ai opened the door to see the object of her thoughts, standing in front of the doorway.

Ling had a cheery smile and gave a simple wave. "Hello Nana. It's been too long."

Ai simply gawked at the pair, dumbfounded. It was like she saw a ghost. It felt so long since she last saw Ling and remembered how hard it was to let him go.

Ai looked after and took care of the boy as if he was her own ever since Ling was little. Her emotions overcame her, and tears spilled forth uncontrollably.

"Oh Master Ling!", she yelled. Ai swiftly went up to the young man and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace.

"Haha I missed you too, Ai", Ling beamed. His grin transitioned to a face of agony, as the old woman's grip tightened like the vice of a snake. "Nana, you're hurting me. I-i—ii c-can't breathe!"

In a panic, he tried to use his hands to pry the woman's hands away and allow some air to reach his lungs, but to no avail. Ling's legs frantically scurried in the ground.

In desperation he yelled out, "Lan Fan please save me!"

Lan Fan looked on and a bead of sweat formed on her forehead, embarrassed by the silly antics of the prince.

Eventually, Ai released her hold and added, "I'm sorry young master. I let the emotions get the better of me. I'm just so glad that you're back home, safe and sound. It's good to see you too young lady."

Lan Fan nodded her head a small smile on her face. Ling was kneeling on the ground taking deep breaths. When he composed himself he replied, "It's no problem Nana, I'm glad to be home."

"Oh you must be so hungry, after the desert, please let me fix you something up- your favorite steamed flounder in sesame oil", she added enthusiastically.

Ling brought his hands up in a placating gesture and bashfully said, "No thanks Nana, I'm quite famished actually. I'm just tired, and I'd like a moment to myself. If you could not tell anyone else I'm here yet I would be grateful."

Seeing the hurt on her face, the prince quickly added, "Please, I'll tell you everything about what happened as soon as I can. But in the meantime-"

"No need to be so defensive Ling. I understand", Ai interrupted. She placed her hand on his shoulder and smiled. "It's so good to have you back young master."

Ling was grateful for the woman's patience and turned to his bodyguard. "Lan Fan I'll be heading to my room. Please if there's anything you need feel free to come by. For the moment please go to sleep, I know how stubborn you can be sometimes, and how you'd probably want to check the home for any signs of trespass. You hadn't had a decent sleep since Amestris."

Lan Fan sometimes forgot how well the prince knew her and bowed her head down to his request.

* * *

><p>After a decent nap, Ling walked to his family's garden.<p>

Compared to the rest of the residence, the garden was rather modest and sparse. Shale stone steps provided a trail to the garden, and two parallel rows of sweet briar flowers were placed by the sides of the square area. The garden was separated by a small cobblestone bridge that crossed a pond of koi fish. At the far end was miniature pagoda and a variety of bonsai tree of varying shades of green.

Despite this there was a certain beauty and allure to the simplicity of the presentation when compared to a garden that was elaborate and ornate. To him, the famed public gardens in Xing were excessive like a noblewoman who put too much makeup and jewelry, insecure of her own beauty. He much preferred his family's garden, there was a charm to the practicality of it, and seemed perfectly content and self-assured of its elegance.

In a way it reminded Ling of his dear childhood friend Lan Fan.

During his stroll, he looked at the tall pistachio tree at the center, and was hit with a wave of nostalgia. He felt inexorably drawn to the tree and climbed up.

The old tree provided a view above his estate where he can overlook the districts of the city. But most importantly it provided a picturesque view of the imperial palace.

He sat there for several minutes until he sensed a presence nearby. Looking down he saw Lan Fan, who was also staring up at him curiously.

"Oh, hey Lan Fan what are you doing here?", Ling questioned, a friendly smile on his face.

"I often come here when I need to clear my head and think to myself", she softly replied. "I was only here a few minutes, young master, I can leave if I'm intruding."

Ling held back the urge to roll his eyes. As much as he cared for her, it irked Ling how polite and self-sacrificing she was. He would like it if she did something that she honestly wanted, without asking for his express permission.

"Please stay, you're never a bother, Lan Fan", he stated. "I forgot you came here almost as often as me when we were smaller. In a way you have just as much right be here as me. Actually would you sit with me please, I could use your company."

Her lips curled upward, and Ling internally beamed. The retainer climbed up the tree and sat beside her lord, a respectable gap in between them. There was a brief awkward pause, neither knowing what to say, after all that happened.

On the spur of the moment, Ling asked, "Lan Fan… do you remember all the trouble and games we used to play when we went here. Hide-and-seek was our favorite past time."

"You were a terrible hider", Lan Fan recalled with an amused smile.

As dutiful and obedient as Lan Fan was, she did have mischievous streak, and Ling Yao took pride in bringing it out of her, from time to time.

"Yeah I was", he conceded, closing his eyes with his head bowed down. "In my defense you were raised by a ninja."

And in a moment the mood became somber again. Ling inwardly cursed and was about to apologize, but thought better of it. She did not like anyone feeling sorry for her.

"I plan to hold the funeral in a few days. I intend to give him the burial he deserves before anything else happens", he said seriously.

The girl nodded her head in agreement.

The pair sat up there for several hours enjoying the scenic view before them. They did not speak during that time, but the quiet was comforting rather than awkward.

Ling eventually broke the silence and fondly said, "When we were brave enough to climb this tree, the first sight that I saw was the Imperial palace… and I was in complete awe. I never saw anything so tall in my life. I think it was then, that my dream first came to me. Do you remember what you said to me that day?"

Lan Fan looked at him with a questioning gaze.

"You said, 'I wonder what it would be like to live in a castle'", he said in an amused tone. Despite this, the man's eyes were serious and he had a wistful smile on his face. "And I said, 'Don't worry I'll show you because one day I'm going to live there'. When I got older there were times I felt so foolish in believing that. But now that dream is going to be a reality soon."

Ling Yao placed his hand on top of Lan fan's, a single tear ran down his cheek, which contrasted with the big grin on his face. "I couldn't have done it without you and Fu… so thank you… for everything."

Lan Fan cheeks tinted red from feeling the warmth of her liege's hand.

When the blush subsided, she looked at Ling's eyes and gave a knowing smile which meant _'you're welcome'._

His eyes flickered with happiness and he gazed back at the palace, enjoying this moment of peace that he shared with his longtime companion.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: Well we finally meet the antagonists of this story. The fight scene that takes place is heavily inspired by the movie _Sword of the Stranger. _In fact one of the villain's fighting style and movements is based on the character, Luo Lang. The song _Rasatsu No En_ also helped me write the battle that takes place.

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><p><em>It Rains Crimson<em>

Dark clouds coalesced around the sky, blotting out the faint light of the moon and the stars. Rain cascaded down heavily on the earth, in such ferocity and quantity the sounds that emanated from the raindrops sounded as if it was actually hail pelting the ground. Every now and then a flash of lightning would appear like a deep crevice in the sky, accompanied by the thunderous roar.

The natives of Xing were smart enough to avoid going outside, and many of the businesses and stalls closed early for the night. The numerous pedestrians found throughout the night quickly dissipated, finding comfort in their own homes.

However in the outskirts near the mountains, four men walked, coolly unconcerned and indifferent to the heavy downpour.

The man that trailed behind the three was a behemoth of a man, over six feet tall. He wore a large straw hat and had a black cloak above his broad shoulders. He wore a dark, green changsham over his rotund belly, which was deceptively firm and full of muscle, along with matching baggy pants and boots. The giant held an incredibly large steel club too heavy for any normal man to pick up, which rested casually on his shoulders, the head shaped like elongated drum in a hexagonal shape.

An old, wizened man walked in the middle of the travelers, who held a black umbrella to shield him from the incessant raindrops. He had a hunched appearance, and was garbed in formal Chinese robs which were inappropriate for the weather. His calculating, and meticulous eyes focused on the destination ahead, appraising the possible risks and options from this clandestine meeting.

The two men that walked ahead wore matching straw hats and black cloaks. However the older one wore the same sleeveless shirt as the giant, while the younger man wore a long sleeved changsham. The older man was in his mid 30's with a thin mustache, and he rested an object, which towered above him, concealed in thick white cloth over his right shoulder. The middle-aged man had an easygoing and even gentle countenance.

The man raises and cupped his left hand, as the water began brimming over the hand, and let out an amused sigh. "Hell of a time to set up a meeting. What a pain this all is", he stated with no real ire in his voice.

The man glanced at younger man beside him, anticipating a response. However the younger man continued to walk, seemingly oblivious to his companion's statement. He had the face that could typically be mistaken as an adolescent by Westerners, but he was already in his late 20s. The stoic man had his head cast down, his straw hat cast a dark shadow that concealed his eyes. His mouth was a firm straight line, as if set in an eternally grim visage. His hand rested gently on the hilt of his wo dao, which he wore on his side.

When he did not respond, the older man closed his eyes, a smile on his face, shaking his head. He had been acquainted with the young man for many years, and yet he still did not know anything about the enigmatic individual, and only seemed to speak when it was relevant to their 'trade'. It had become something of a game for him, trying to get the nearly mute swordsman to open up.

"Quite as chatty as ever Tsyu", the man joked. He cast a forlorn and nostalgic glance upwards. "I didn't even get the chance to see my family. I was on my way back home before I got the urgent message to meet here. It was my son's 9th birthday 3 days ago you know."

Tsyu continued his trek, as if he did not hear his traveling companion, simply content to walk in silence.

It did not deter him and he continued on. "Still it's… strange. We always receive our targets through messenger hawks or at the drop points. It's even rarer, when it's necessary to work in pairs. So why is it now the Dashi summons the three of us out of the blue with no other information? The fact that the Dashi is here is even stranger. Since when do we… much less the old man, ever personally meet with clients? "

He inconspicuously looked back to see if the old man was listening, and then murmured to his silent companion. "Whatever this is, it's big. This client must be very well connected and powerful to be able to request a personal audience with the dashi, which also means that the termination of this certain target is extremely profitable, enough to catch the interest of the dashi. I don't like it at all, not that I even like this line of work to begin with."

He let the words linger for a while, and wondered if Tsyu was mulling over his words carefully.

A hoarse, shriveled voice emerged. "Patience, Jing Hu. Your questions will be answered in time. We're almost there".

Jing Hu looked behind, surprised.

The corners of the dashi's mouth turned upward. Though it was supposed to be a cordial, reassuring grin, there was something sinister and ominous behind it.

"I have unusually excellent hearing", he simply said in a friendly tone. His gaze became dark, a stern expression on his face. "You shouldn't be too curious, Jing Hu. Knowledge can sometimes be harmful, not only for you… but those you care about. You would be wise to remember that."

The man narrowed his eyes, but did not retort and simply looked forward, traveling in silence.

As they made their way through the area, the path gradually got steeper. On their left was a solid, wall of stone that made up one of a series of mountains, and on their right was the top of the cliff, which offered a view of the vast expanse of forest below the rock surface.

The two men that led the way ceased their movements once they reached a plateau encircled by several tall, ridges and cliff faces, and the rest followed suit. They could not see the man they were meeting, but sensed a dense array of qi just in front of them, indicating that the client had at least a dozen men with him.

"Wait here", Tsyu said. His voice was cold and laced with tinges of morose and indifference.

"You got it fearless leader", Hu Jing quipped. Though he joked his face was entirely serious and glanced behind. "You heard that big guy?"

The largest of the bunch simply nodded his head.

Tsyu continued on, and stopped once he reached the middle of the flat bedrock. His left hand calmly rested on the hilt of his sword.

The elderly man walked ahead to stand by Tsyu's side, and bowed his head in respect, one fist placed gently in the open hand of the other. He said in a neutral tone. "I am here as you requested. You should know I am a very discreet, reclusive individual which is especially important due to the _business _I take part in. However your very generous proposition intrigues me, and it is rare for even me to have a client of such prestige… Duke Yang".

The man walked toward the elder, his gait displaying the confidence and arrogance only seen by high ranking nobles firmly set in their beliefs of their superiority and destiny for greatness. He was entirely bald , save for a long, braided pony tail on the back of his head, and was endowed with a long, regal beard. A servant followed him, holding an umbrella to shelter his lord.

The noble was followed by a company of six men on each of his sides. They were dressed in dark black garbs, and their entire face, save their eyes were concealed by a black mask. Each and every man had a dao that rested on their sides.

"I am honored by your presence", Yang said, his voice a confident, deep baritone. "However you appear to have me at a disadvantage, since I do not know how to address you."

"Please, simply call me Dashi."

"Very well, Dashi", he nodded. "So _you're_ the founder and mastermind of the most notorious assassins' collective in all of Xing. Rumors say that your organization hasn't failed to terminate a target yet. To be perfectly candid, you're not what I expected."

"Deception can sometimes be more dangerous than the point of a sword, Duke."

The corner of his mouth quirked upward in amusement. "Indeed", Yang replied.

"You were very detailed in what you could offer me, however I still don't know what you want from me."

"My spies have informed me that a certain young noble has something in his possession that he plans to give to the Emperor. Something important enough to influence the line of succession as the ruler of this country. Obviously, that would be detrimental to my right as Emperor."

"So you wish to kill him before he gives this gift to the emperor."

"No, I'd rather that he succeed… at least for now."

Yang analyzed the features of the old man for any signs of surprise or confusion. If he was taken aback by the duke's reply, he did not show it, his face as firm and unyielding as granite.

"Just what are your intentions, Duke Yang", he coldly replied. He was not amused by Yang's mind game.

"Before I reveal more I have to be certain that your assassins are as good as you say they are", Yang stated. He matched the old man's steely gaze with his own. "From what little I was able to gather, the stories always tell of the prowess of your group in the art of war and assassination. **But**… they're just rumors, nothing more. I did not survive this long putting much faith in rumors and stories. I need to test your stock, and see for myself if there's any truth behind the fiction."

Dashi nodded his head in understanding. "Very well. What did you have in mind?"

"The men that I have brought forth are Hebei bodyguards loyal to the Yang clan. They are highly disciplined and their mettle has been tested in the last civil war. It is said one warrior of Hebei is a match for five strong men", the duke recounted evenly. He stepped forward a few steps, and the servant clumsily followed, prudent that the rain not tarnish the garbs of his master. Yang gestured to the men behind him. "If your prized assassins manage to defeat all of my men, I will be certain of your abilities. Whether they kill or merely incapacitate my men, I leave up to their deference."

The soldiers did not flinch from hearing the cold, indifferent tone of their master and merely looked forward.

"You are willing to let your men die to test us?", the dashi questioned.

The duke quirked his lips upward, amused at the dashi's certainty of the outcome of the inevitable battle.

"The lives of common men are trivial and unimportant. They only exist to serve as sustenance and nourishment for the powerful", he intoned casually. A malicious smile formed on his face. "These soldiers are tools of power and destruction that I can use at my leisure. Their entire existence is dedicated to serving me. What I do with them, are for my reasons alone and not for anyone to judge."

Tsyu had his head slightly lowered, his eyes directed to the ground. After hearing the duke speak, the silent swordsman raised his head staring at Duke Yang calmly, his words having some effect on him.

The Dashi glanced at Tsyu, trying to discern the thoughts of the young man. Though intuitive and perceptive, he could never properly read the man. His eyes were concealed in shadow, and his hat was dipped in front, preventing a person to look into his eyes. Though he would never admit it, it disturbed the dashi to a degree.

"Very well Duke Yang", he intoned. "Jing Hu, Xu! Step forth!"

The two warriors walked forward until they were beside Tsyu.

"Please Dashi, stand beside me. I wouldn't want you to get caught in the middle of this battle", he stated with false sincerity.

The dashi obliged and stood beside the taller noble. His eyes directed at his assassins, knowing of how this conflict will end.

Duke Yang suddenly uttered a command, and the soldiers behind him sprinted forward, swords drawn, ready to engage the three men. Their footsteps more pronounced and louder in the rain-soaked ground.

As they neared, Xu stepped forward and swung his mace horizontally to catch three of the soldiers. However the three flipped back to avoid the weapon, while the fourth jumped to his opponent's flank. He prepared to land a fatal strike on the large man, but Xu simply grinned, and with alarming strength and speed, stopped mid-swing, raising the mace up high, to smash the soldier. The attacker switched to defense and raised his sword up to protect himself, but to no avail. The mace broke the sword with ease, and crushed the man. A sickening crunch could be heard as his bones cracked like toothpicks from the immense pressure, and the force of Xu's attack so great that it caused the ground beneath his victim to break, forming a deep depression on the ground.

The three soldiers were stunned by, the man's seemingly inhuman strength and speed in wielding such a large weapon, and before they could find their resolve, Xu swung his mace in a sweeping arc. The warriors were sent hurtling to the mountain side, and as they slid to the ground, large red streaks canvassed the rocky surface.

Five men were heading toward Jing Hu. The man grasped the white cloth and threw it at soldier, closest to him. The soldier was enshrouded in the cloth material, blocking his sight, and Jing delivered spinning heel kick to the man's face, rendering him unconscious. The concealed item in his hands was a guandao, and he spun the weapon in his hands with the practiced efficiency and expertise known only to a master.

In a series of fast and gracious movements, he landed the flat of his blade on his three opponents, instead of cutting them down. One soldier managed to get behind him and swung his sword toward the back of his head. Jing turned quickly and released his weapon, and as it gradually fell to the ground, kicked it, the staff portion hitting the attacker square in the head, and rebounding back in the waiting hands of its owner.

The remaining three men were engaging Tsyu. One man jumped upward and swung his sword in a vertical arc. Tsyu caught the blade between his hand, and with a simple turn of his wrists, sent the man falling forward in the opposite direction. Another tried to capitalize and swung his sword. Tsyu effortlessly ducked underneath and delivered a small kick to the back of his knee. The man grunted in pain and unconsciously fell down, leaving his head exposed, and Tsyu placed his hands on the man's head and snapped his neck.

The only standing soldier was able to swing his sword three times at Tsyu, but the man dodged the attacks with practiced ease, delivering a forceful punch to his throat. The impact was enough to cave in his throat, obstructing the trachea, leaving the man to die a painful death.

Tsyu turned his gaze toward the soldier still on the ground, who was scrambling forward to reclaim his weapon. When the soldier grabbed his weapon and turned around, the last thing he saw was a dao circling toward him before it embedded itself on his head.

Jing with a honed warrior's instinct, sensed an immediate threat to him. He spun around and with a flick of his wrist gracefully caught the object aimed at his head. It was an arrow.

"Archers!", Jing yelled.

A multitude of arrows whizzed through the air, aimed directly at the three assassins. Jing spun his guandao in a rapid motion, flicking and cutting down any arrows aimed at him.

Xu managed to raise his arm to protect his face and neck, as the arrows pierced his forearm. The man grimaced out of mere annoyance rather than in pain, and brought his large mace in front as a shield.

The archers were all scattered at the mountainside, unrelenting in their barrage. There was rarely a pause, as the soldiers expertly picked an arrow and had it taut on the bow string seconds after the previous arrow was fired. Jing mentally noted there were thirteen total.

The dashi looked up at Yang, who continued to spectate the battle with great interest. His expression was puzzled.

Yang seemed aware of the old man's confusion and smiled. "You're wondering how you were not able sense the presence of those archers at those cliffs. My clan had developed a concoction many generations ago, that allowed a soldier to dampen and conceal their chi. It has proven quite useful from time to time."

"You never said that you had more men hidden away", the Dashi recalled.

"I never denied it either. All I said was that your assassins had to defeat all of my warriors", Yang stated in a nonchalant way.

The Dashi was not perturbed and simply looked on. While he appraised that the Duke's soldier's were very well-trained and experience, he was not afraid.

_It doesn't matter. The outcome will still be the same._

Tsyu grasped the ends of his cloak and spun around, using the force of his cape to ward off the arrows. He spun and pirouetted with the grace of a dancer. He continued to do so, moving forward until he reached one of the corpses and grabbed one holding it in front of him. He then ran rapidly toward the archers, using the body as a shield, unfazed by the weight of his burden.

The archers alarmed, focused their attack on the assailant.

Xu was about to join Tsyu, a vicious grin on his face that yearned for more bloodshed, but stopped when Jing clasped a hand on his arm.

"That won't be necessary big guy", he calmly said. "He won't even break a sweat with that number. They'll all be dead before you get there."

"There's a reason why **he **was chosen as the leader of our little group by the old man. Out of all the years I've worked with him, I've never seen him once wounded in battle. Whether the target was a state alchemist, Drachman volk, or a Xingese master… there's nothing that his blade hasn't cut down yet", he said seriously. Jing had a solemn look on his face, and his gaze was unreadable as he stared at the back of Tsyu.

Several arrows flew past Tsyu as he marched forward. Eventually one arrow found its mark on the corpse's body, and another on its neck.

There was a moment of trepidation and fear as the man managed to breach their perimeter. Using that reprieve he dashed forward to the closest man, dropping his human shield and clasped his right hand on his wo dao. In a lightning swift motion he drew his sword, slashing the soldier in front of him subsequently followed by a forward flip over the falling body, his cape billowing in the wind.

As the body fell to the ground, Tsyu simultaneously landed on his feet, immediately dashing up the mountain top. He moved past all the other soldiers in the bluffs, ignoring their bewildered and stunned expressions. His targets were the two archers at the highest point.

When he was close enough, he used an outcrop of rock to launch himself high into the air. As he descended, his cape gusting behind him, and his sword running red, the assassin looked like a dark angel promising death to all in his proximity. He somersaulted once in the air, and landed on a soldier's chest, bringing his sword forward, piercing his chest. Before the other could retaliate, Tsyu brought the sword up and pivoted toward his next opponent, while subsequently slashing. A deep gash opened on the man's chest, but for extra measure, Tsyu spun around again delivering the fatal blow. The archer yelled out in pain and fell back from the precipice, screaming as he fell to his doom.

Tsyu did not pause and jumped off the edge to engage the 10 remaining henchmen. The body fell with a bone-crunching thud, followed by Tsyu who landed on a crouch. His right hand was raised above his shoulder, the sword's blade resting lightly between his shoulders, and his other hand placed on the ground.

There were seven that made their way on the ground, once the assassin breached their perimeter, while three remained on the cliffs. They were wary and vigilant after seeing firsthand of the swordsman's incredible skill. The warriors had their swords at the ready, and circled around him waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

The skilled assassin slowly stood up, his blade still resting languidly on his shoulders. He turned to his side, and with his free hand he grasped his cape concealing his body. In a sudden motion he spun around, two hands now grasping the sword charging toward his next enemy.

The soldier raised his sword arm ready to strike, but Tsyu with one swift motion severed that arm. He performed a quick sword flourish, making the next target second guess his movements and Tsyu performed a spinning slash, killing him.

Another attacked from behind, and Tsyu countered by twisting quickly, rolling off the opponent's back. The soldier turned around to face him but Tsyu delivered a killing stroke before he could retaliate.

Tsyu raised his sword to the next combatant, who also had his sword poised to strike. The assassin's sword hand was much faster though, and he severed the soldier's hand followed by a quick slash to the jugular.

The swordsman looked like a maelstrom of death and destruction, as he cut down these battle-hardened soldiers within seconds. The three archers could not get a proper bead on the one man killing machine, and drew their swords to assist the remaining survivors.

The assassin flanked a soldier's side, attacking his back, and pivoted until he was at his front, striking the chest. Tsyu ducked underneath the incoming blade of another soldier, and cut his neck open. The young man then delivered a powerful strike on a man's sword, disarming him. The sword spun away from its owner, and Tsyu kicked the man square in his chest causing him to fall.

Tsyu quickly saw the three remaining men were near the edge of a cliff, and capitalized on that. He dashed forward and initiated a powerful vertical strike and kicked him toward his companions. At the same time he brought his cape in front to shield him from the incoming blood spatter, from the grievous wound he inflicted.

The victim moving back from the force of Tsyu's kick, knocked into his two companions, and they fell into the depths of the chasm.

The man that was previously disarmed looked on in shock, feelings of awe and fear mixed together at the assassin's impressive sword play, his style a perfect blend of power and finesse.

Crumpled bodies pooling with blood and mutilated limbs lay at the assassin's wake. The dense, red liquid that congealed together gradually diluted from the heavy rain.

One of the men whose arm was severed held the stump above him, howling in pain from the sheer agony. Tsyu was standing beside him and without looking simply inserted the blade downward into his cranium, which ceased the soldier's cries.

With a quick flick of his sword he removed the residue of blood from the blade and proceeded to walk to the remaining survivor. He stood only a few feet away and simply stared at the warrior knelt on the ground.

"Pick up your sword. A man that has experienced the rigors of war should not die on his knees", he coolly voiced. The tone of his voice was detached and completely devoid of human emotion.

The He Bei bodyguard involuntarily chilled, and felt goose bumps around the base of his neck. From his peripheral vision the soldier saw the sword was beside him. He slowly grasped it, wary of the manslayer next to him, stood up and took a few steps back.

Tsyu did not act and simply stood there, his sword pointed away from his feet.

The lone warrior steeled himself for the conclusion to the battle. He knew that he was going to die that night, but his warrior's pride refused to let him die like a simpering coward. Even though the assassin killed his comrades with ruthless efficiency, he was at least thankful that the manslayer allowed him to die fighting.

The vassal sprinted toward the enemy with reckless abandon and yelled out a battle cry. He was a professional and unleashed a combination of attacks on his opponent's critical areas, but the assassin did not even parry and merely dodged the blade, which where inches away from hitting him, which demonstrated his poise and confidence.

Tsyu brought his sword across his chest ready to strike, and the soldier seeing this attempted to counter. The two warriors simultaneously stroke, and the lightning illuminated the sky at that moment.

The two combatants had their backs away from each other, still holding their respective swords in position after attacking. The man's blade broke off in two pieces and suddenly a burst of blood sprayed from the soldier's chest and he collapsed.

After the battle concluded, Xu scoffed in annoyance, irritated that he didn't have the chance to crush more enemies. Jing Hu had a melancholy expression on his face and almost looked penitent for what had transpired.

Yang's face betrayed nothing, his eyes slightly widened in surprise after the conclusion of the battle. The assassins went above his expectations, he was intrigued by the swordsman. The He Bei warriors were his elite guard, and respected in the Xingese military. Yet the assassin slew thirteen of them within minutes, and made all of them look like novices who just got conscripted into the army.

The duke often plotted and schemed in the shadows, and rarely saw battles up close. However it was quite clear to the noble that the mysterious swordsman possessed unusually exceptional mastery over his blade, and that there were only handful of warriors in Xing that could possibly match or beat him.

"Who is that man?", Yang questioned.

The dashi smirked and replied, "He is called Tsyu, the strongest of my _Black Lotus_."

"Tsyu huh… it suits him well."

The dashi silently agreed with Yang. "I trust that you are satisfied with the results. Please, tell me what do you have in mind with the prince?"

The duke brought his hand up next to his servant. The servant reached in between his robes and pulled out a large scroll, placing it on Yang's open palm.

"All the information you need is in that scroll Dashi", he tersely replied. He gave the scroll to the older man and proceeded to walk away.

When Yang devised his stratagem, he knew that it would only reach fruition with warriors of exceptional skill. After seeing the assassins in action, he became certain that the throne will be within his grasp soon.

_You should have learned your place little prince. Your arrogance and ambition will cost you greatly. Soon, your dreams will come crashing down in fire, with you lying battered and bloody at my feet._

Duke Yang smiled at the thought.

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><p>End note: Well I hope you enjoyed the chapter. More LingFan in future chapters. Also Yang's plan will be revealed in due time.<p>

Tsyu is a bit of an enigmatic character and you'll gradually learn more about him. His main purpose though is to act as a foil to Ling Yao

_Terms _

Dao: a single-bladed broadsword

Guandao: a type of Chinese halberd

Wo dao: a single-edged blade similar to a katana with a Chinese hilt.

Dashi: Teacher

_Name meanings_

Tsyu: Crimson

Jing: Peaceful, tranquil

Hu: Mustache


End file.
